The Key/Combo/Indicator Cases referenced above relate to combination operated locks of the type typically used to secure luggage, travelcases, briefcases and the like during travel and transport—to combination operated locks that also may be operated by a key to facilitate inspection of the contents of the cases or containers on which the locks are installed and/or that are secured by the locks—to combination and key operated locks that are provided with indicators capable of signalling that a key has been used in the associated lock.
Combination operated locks including combination operated padlocks and combination operated locks installed on hardcases such as luggage, travelcases, briefcases and the like are widely used by travelers who appreciate the convenience of dialing a simple combination to open their luggage without having to carry, find and use a proper key each time a travel bag is to be opened and relocked.
When the Transportation Security Administration took over the handling of airport security in accordance with the Homeland Security Act, an intensified effort made to inspect the locked travel bags of airline passengers often resulted in the destruction of the combination locks used to secure luggage, travelcases, briefcases and the like when these locks were forcibly opened to permit inspection of contents. The forcible opening and/or removal of combination operated locks for inspection of the contents of luggage, travelcases, briefcases and the like usually renders the locks unsuitable for reuse, and unfortunately leaves the inspected bags unlocked, with their contents subject to pilfer and theft during travel and transport.
To accommodate the need of travelers for post-inspection luggage security while also accommodating the need of government personnel to quickly and easily open and inspect selected and suspect bags that are secured by combination operated locks, a proposal was advanced by an entity known as Travel Sentry for providing government personnel with so-called “override keys” for nondestructively opening consumer owned, combination operated locks that have built-in “key override” features.
In accordance with the proposal of Travel Sentry, combination operated locks having a “key override” capability have been sold by a number of lock manufacturers. These locks may be purchased by consumers for locking their luggage, travelcases, briefcases and the like, or may be installed on luggage, travelcases, briefcases and the like by the manufacturers thereof. If the locked travel bags, briefcases and the like are inspected by government personnel, the locks are opened for inspection of contents using keys that are made available to and controlled by government authorized inspectors (but not to the owners of the locks), and then are relocked by the inspectors. Bags inspected and relocked in this manner are intended to have their contents secured by relocking them using the same combination operated locks that were used initially by the owners thereof.
What the Key/Combo/Indicator Cases address are combination and key operated locks of the general type just described that also are provided with some form of indicator to signal the owners of the locks when a key has been used with a particular lock—which may indicate that the lock has been opened for inspection of the contents of an associated travelcase.